Uncoupling lever for car couplers



May 25 1926..

G.,G. GILPIN UNCOUPLING LEVER FOR GAR COUPLERS Or inal File gu t'lo, i915 2- Sheets-Sheei 1 anudmtoz May 25', 1926.

G. G. Gll Pl N UNGOUPLING LEVER FOR CAR ,COUPDERS Original Filed August 10, 1915 2 Shets-Sheet 2,

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Patented May 25 1926.

5 UNITED STATES ""tssssiz PATENT: "OFFICE.

GARTH. GRIFFITE mum, on RIVERSIDE, ILLmo'Is, 'assienon 'ro WALTER r.

munrnmfor CHICAGO, mnmors,

. UNCO'UPLING LE VER FOR GAB GOUPLERS.

Original application filed August 10, 1915, Serial m. 44,717. Divided and this application filed September 18, 191?. Serial No. 191,999.

.The object of my invention is to provide between the hand lever and the lock pin lifter a joint which is flexible to service'conditions, but which at the same time prevents the pin lifter from being rotated" around its axis, to such an extent at least as will make it impossible for the pin lifter to be disengaged from the locking ,pin of the coupler, thereby, eliminating all danger ofits becoming accidentally disengaged from the coupler lock pin. A further object of my invention, is to-provide a flexible joint be tween the hand'lever and pin lifter of such construction that is necessary to remove the hand lever from the car to disconnect the lifter from the lever. A further object of my invention is to provide an uncoupling rigging wherein the hand lever and pin lifter may beassembled and shipped complete to assure their proper a plication to the car; and with these and 0t er objects in view, my invention consists of the .parts and combination of parts as will be hereinafter pointed out. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a pin lifter so formed at its. lower end that it cannot be engaged with (or disen gaged from) the. eye of the knuckle look by a pivotal movement about its axis.

Another object is to form the lower end of a pin lifter into an open hook or loop which by-its peculiar construction cannot be hooked or simply moved horizontally into engagement with or disengagement from) the eye of the knuckle lock.

Another-object is to form the lower end of the lock lifter'into'such a loop that it can only be engaged with (or disengaged from).

the eye of the knuckle. look by a pivotal movement about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the loop. 7

Another object is to so form the loop with relation to'the shank of apin lifter that the point of engagement of the-lifter with the knuckle lock is in line with the shank.

In the drawings: Figurel is atop plan view of a car, broken away, with my inventionapplied.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of a car showin my uncoupling lever in position.

igure 3 is a side elevation of the uncoupling lever, a coupler and associated parts. Figure 4 is an enlarged detail top plan view of the inner end of the hand lever and the pin lifting link.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a side orend elevation of Fig urei.

Figure 7 is a detail top plan view ofanother embodiment of my invention.

Figure 8 is a front elevation and Figure 9 v a side elevation of Figure 7 Y The reference'nizif1eral 1 desi ates a car, 2.the end 'sill,'3 thedeadwoo or bumper and 4 a coupler of approved construction.

' Brackets 5 and 6 are secured to the end sill in which isjournalled the hand operated lever or actuating member 7. The constructi'on of these brackets is such that the hand lever may be readily removed from the car. The lever 7 is provided at its inner end with a-crank 8, which, when the lever is mounted on the car extends forwardly from the car over the coupler as is usual and is provided with a hook as shown in some of the figures or an eye as shown in other figures of the drawing, the particular formation being optional as will be understood. The outer end of the lever is bent to form the usual handle 9-. The outer end of the crank 8 is con nected to the eye of the knuckle lock by a the link to permit of the insertion of the end into the eye 12 of the coupler lock pin. The extremity of the loop 11 extending for a substantial distance beyond the shank of the link or approximately about a quarter of a turn and preferably without substantial change in curvature. The end of the link extending a distance below the top of the loop greater-than the largest dimension of the eye of the lock block. The smallest overall dimension of the loop being greater than any dimension of the eye of the lock blockf With such a construction the link can be engaged with (or disengaged from) the eye of the knuckle look only by pivotal movement about its axis or by a pivotal movelar to the plane of the loop, or by a movement of the link with relation to the eye of the pin as a center of such movement. WVith this arrangement it is impossible to remove the pin lifter link from the eye of the coupler look without removing the handlever from the car. The link 10 is formed with a bend between the shank and the loop 11 so that the prolonged axis of the shank cuts the axis of the loop, and is in direct line with the vertical axis of the coupler lock pin whereby a direct pull is obtained as dis tinguished from an eccentric pull.

In the construction shown in Figures 1 to 6 the outer end portion of the crank 8 "of the hand lever is flattened and shouldered as at 13 and 14 respectively and terminates in an upturned hook 15.

The pin lifter 10 comprises a single bar or link germinating at the upper end in an elongate and complete loop or eye 16 and at the lowerend in the loop 11. The eye 16 at the top of the bar or pin-lifting link is elongated to permit of vertical movement of the coupler in service conditions, due to the car passing over rough track, etc., also to permit the hand lever to return to normal position when the coupler is in lockset posi tion. The shoulder 14 prevents the eye 16 from accidentally binding on the crank 8,

. It will be noted that it is impossible for the pin lifter to completely rotate around its vertical axis.

In Figures 7,18 and 9, another embodiment of my invention is shown; in these figures '17 is the hand operated lever and 18 the forwardly extending crank at the inner end thereof. In this embodiment the eye 19 is disposed transversely of the crank 18. The pin lifter 20 has an upper flattened portion 21 adapted to pass through and slide vertically in the eye 19; said link terminating at its upper end in a deflected portion 22, the end of such deflected portion extending beyond the plane of the body of the eye 19. It will be noted that the distance between the downwardly deflected loop or end portion 23 is greater than the width of the eye 19 so that under'all service conditions the 'hook is prevented from accidently slipping I have described and claimed the link having a non-rotatable operative connection to the operating rod to prevent the accidental disengagement of the link from the lock lifter,

while in this a plication I have described andelected to c aim at particular and pecumeagre to the normal service movements of the coupler without imposing strain upon the parts and without accidently pulling the lock pin, the upper portion of the lifter being free to slide bodily in the eye or hook of the inner crank of the hand lever until the upper end of the elongated eye or hook engages the eye of the Said crank. These parts are designed to permit of normal service move- -ments of the draw bar under buffing and draft strains but should the movement of the draw bar be abnormal, as for instance when the draw barbreaks away from its moorings, the engagement of the upper end of the pin lifting link with the eye orhook of the crank of the hand lever will arrest the bodily movement of the pin lifter and thereby cause the lifter -topull the locking pin of .the coupler to unlocked position, thereby uncoupling the coupler and preventing the draw bar from dropping onto the track.

- When the rigging has been bodily removed from the car, which is possible by removing the cotter pins and filler blocks from the brackets 5 and 6, (the brackets remaining fixed to the car) the connection between the pin lifter and the look pin is such that these parts can be disengaged. On the other hand, with the device on the car, in operative position, it is impossible to effect the disengagement of the coupler lock pin and the pin lifter, either accidentally or intentionally. The theory of my invention is that if the pin lifter could be intentionally disconnected from the lock pin while the parts are assembled in operative relation on the car, circumstances or conditions might arise throughaccident which would bring about such disengagement unintentionally.-

l/Vhile for the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown and described specific details of construction, I do not wish it understood that my inventionis thuslimited,

as changes may be made in the construction within the scope of the claims.

This application is a division of my application filed August 10, 1915, Serial No. 414,717.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with a railway car, of a coupler head carried thereby, a knuckleall meters lock for said coupler head provided with an eye, an actuating rod, and a link connected to said rod, said link having a bend formed in its-lower part, the end of said bend being extended to form a complete loop open for the reception of the eye of the knuckle-lock,-

and the smallest over-all dimension of the loop being greater than any dimension of the eye, whereby said link can only be engaged with the eye of the knuckle-lock by a pivotal movement about an axis-substantially plerpendicular to the plane of the loop.

2. T e combination with a railwa car, of a con ler' head carried thereby, a look f r said coupler head provided with an eye, an actuating rod, and a link, provided at its upper part with a complete loop open to receive the eye of the actuating red, the lower part of said link having formed there in a bend, the end of said bend being extended to form a complete loop open to receive the eye of the knuckle-lock, and the smallest over-all dimension of the 1001) being greater than any dimension of the eye whereby said link can only be engaged with the eye of the knuckle-lock by a pivotal movement around an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the knuckle-lock. 3'. The combination with a railway car, of a couplerhead carried thereby, a knuckle' lock for said coupler head provided with an i eye, an actuating rod, a link rovided at its upper part with an elongate and complete 1021p open to receive the'eye of the actuatin r0 the lower part of said rod being provi ed with a bend, the end of said bend being extended to form a complete loop open to receive the eye of the knuckle-lock, and the smallest over-all dimension of the loop being greater than any dimension of the eye,

whereby said link can only be engaged with the eye of the knuckle-lock by a pivotal movement around an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the loop.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a coupler, a locking pin therefor rovided with an eye, a pin actuating mem er, and a link for connecting the said member to the locking-pin, said link having an open loop at its lower end to receive and engage with the eye of the pin, said loop portion being provided with an extension so positioned and dimensioned that the pivotal movement of the link with relation to the eye of the pin as the center of such movement is necessary to remove the loop from the eye.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a coupler,- a locking-pin nuckletherefor rovided with an'eye, a pin-actuating mem er, and a link for connecting said member to the locking-pin, said link having a hook portion at its lower end to receive and engage with the eye of the pin, the smallest over-all dimension of the hook portion being greater than any dimension of the eye, an the end of the hook portion being extended downwardly to such extent that the hook and pin can be connected and disconnected by a pivotal movement of the link with relation to the eye of the pin as a center of such movement. y

6. The combination with a coupler lock block havin an eye, of a link for connecting said lock b ock with an uncoupling lever, said link having its lower end bent to form aloop, the endlpf said loop extendingto lap the said link and extending a distance below the top of said loop, greater than the largest dimension of the eye ofsaid lock block.

7; An uncoupling device for a car coupler including a pin lifting link having a loop at its pin end extending helically to such an extent that the link cannot be removed from the pin eye by turning the link about the longitudinal axis of the stem of the link in any position that axis can occupy in service assembly onthe car. 8. An uncoupling comprising an operating lever and a coupler pin lifting link operativelyconnected at its upper end to said lever and provided at its lower end with a helical or cork screw like loop or bend adapted for connection with the eye of the look pin of a coupler, and designed to prevent the removal of the link from the y of t ep p er ln kjp n, when the p ating lever is mounted on the car, by any shifting, jarring'or vibration of the parts by the movement of the car.

9. A pin lifting link for a car coupler uncoupling lever having a loop at its lower end device for a car coupler.

extending around and downward so far that I the link cannot be removed from the eye of a coupler pin by turning it on its longitudinal axis in any position that axis "can occupy in'service-assembly' on a car.

10. An uncoupling device fora railway l car coupler comprising an operating lever and a link comprising a shank operatively connected to the lever and a helical loop connected to thecoupler pin eye, the extremity of said loop extending for a substantial distance beyond "the shank approximately a quarter of a turn beyond the shank, without substantial change in curvature exam earrrrrn enters:

cnn'riiiicntn or connection.

latent No 1,585,972. Granted May 125, 1926, to

cnn'rn GRIFFITH GILPlN.

It iehereby certified that error appears in the printed specification ot' the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 35, claim 3, for the word "rod" second occurrence read "link"; same page, line 6i, clnitn 5, after the word "connecting" insert the article "the" and line 69, aiter the word "disconnected" insert the word "only"; and that the said Letters Patent should he read with theee corrections therein that the same may coniorm to the record oi the case in the Potent tittice. I

Signed and sealed this 3lst 'rlny of ay, A. D. 1927.

ii/il. ll. Moore, 7 Scott 4 l te-ting tilontrnissioner oi Patents. 

